


Interrogation

by inappropriatestarstable



Series: WWAU [2]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: Multi, WWAU, better safe than sorry I guess?, some gun violence and threats but i don't describe it in like graphic detail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 15:32:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17409512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inappropriatestarstable/pseuds/inappropriatestarstable
Summary: The hunt for Ydris is on. Daine and Cloud belong to HellishSam, and Ariana and Lion belong to me.





	Interrogation

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by/loosely based on the ( _very_ NSFW) Brandon Rogers video "Normal Western Movie," after Sam mentioned that the two main characters looked a little...familiar. I couldn't help myself.

Inside the saloon, the air was alive with the sound of raucous laughter. The patrons of the Tipsy Fox were in fine form tonight, evidenced by the amount of spilled beer on the floor and the number of coins that were being shoved across tabletops, both towards the bartender and towards the men with cards stuffed up their sleeves.

At one table, Daine Mountainhome’s golden eyes were intently trained on a man across the room. He maintained a casual pose, not wanting to appear suspicious, but the other patrons paid him no mind. Least of all the man in the black vest.

Daine lifted his tankard to his lips, still eyeing the mark. This man had the information he needed; he was sure of it. His gaze flicked to the window, where night was only just beginning to fall. He only had to be patient.

More laughter suddenly erupted from the table where the man was playing cards, snapping Daine to attention. A blonde woman in a low-cut red-and-black dress had slipped her fingers under the man’s chin, tilting his face toward her. Daine couldn’t hear what she said, but the smirk on her red lips was visible from across the room, as was the man’s grin.

In a flutter of skirts, the woman was settling herself into the man’s lap. Daine narrowed his eyes.

She turned her head, the curled ends of her blonde hair softly whipping the man across the face. As he lifted his hand to bat her hair away, she pretended to adjust herself into a more comfortable position on his lap, grinning at him as the other card players laughed. Only Daine had seen her hand slip into the man’s pocket and emerge holding a coin.

He snorted into his drink.

Before the hour was up, darkness had fallen completely outside the saloon’s windows, Daine had still not finished his drink, and his mark was being tugged to his feet by the grinning prostitute and led out the door.

Daine waited three beats after the doors had swung shut behind them before he downed his drink and followed.

“So tell me what you do for a livin,’ sweetheart,” the prostitute crooned as she and the man made their way down the street.

The man flashed her a smile under his moustache. “I’m a tailor, ma’am.”

“A tailor? Think you could make me another dress like this one?” She indicated the provocative dress she wore with a sweep of her arm.

“Hell, I could make you whatever you wanted.”

Eager to please, this one. This might be easier than she’d thought.

“Ever made anything real fancy? For a rich man, maybe?”

“Sure have.” The man grinned at her as they reached the door to his shop, which he unlocked and ushered her inside. He had only just closed it behind himself when she grabbed his lapels and pulled him into a kiss, making him drop the keys to the floor.

She flashed a grin. “Maybe if you show me, I’ll show you somethin’ too.”

Not seeming to find anything too strange about a prostitute inquiring about men’s clothing, the tailor led her to the back room.

“See that there dress?” He indicated a half-finished violet gown across a work table. “My wife made that, but I made a gentleman a real fancy suit that same color. Funny thing is, he was already wearin’ a purple suit. But he paid for this one all the same.” The man shrugged.

“A fancy gentleman in purple, you say?”

“Yeah, I think he was one o’them travelin’ showmen. Had a big wagon an’ a black horse pullin’ it.” The man’s gaze suddenly sharpened; he seemed to realize he’d said too much. “Why you wanna know?”

“Just curious.” She turned her back on him, bending over and pretending to admire a half-finished dress. “Can’t a girl ask questions?”

“Not about that man, you can’t, not when he paid for my silence.” Though more than a little drunk, the man had enough brains to be suspicious. “Who are you?”

“Ariana Wolffall, prosperous prostitute.” She quickly pulled the collar of her dress a little lower before she turned on her heel and walked back towards him. “Now, are you after my services, or have I wasted my time?”

His will crumbled, as she’d known it would. His hands were tangled in her long blonde hair and she had his shirt halfway unbuttoned when a figure in a long black coat stepped into the room, gun drawn.

Daine’s long legs crossed the room in a few strides until he was but a few feet away. The prostitute screamed and backed up, but the tailor froze, eyes glued to the barrel of Daine’s pistol.

“I’m looking for that man in purple,” Daine said, his voice low and serious. “Tell me where he went.”

“The hell should I know?” the man growled, his hands in the air. “He didn’t stay around long.”

“Long enough for you to make him a suit.” _A real fancy one, too_. “When did you last see him?”

“And why the hell should I tell you anything?” the man sneered. “I ain’t scared o’you.”

Daine met the gray eyes of the woman. Quick as a snake, he had grabbed her arm, pulled her against his chest, and pressed the gun to the side of her head.

“Tell me now.”

Ariana shrieked and struggled weakly, but he held her firm.

“Now.”

The tailor waved his arms. “Look, he paid me, all right? He paid me not to tell anyone!”

“Tell me.”

“I can’t, all right! That shady bastard knows some real bad folks, they’d come for me!”

Daine cocked the gun, pressing it firmly into Ariana’s blonde hair.

“They’re not here. I am.”

“Please, please just tell him what he wants!” Ariana begged.

“All right! All right!” Sweat was beading across the man’s brow. He held his shaking hands in the air. “He left a week ago, maybe less. It’s the truth, I swear it! I don’t know where he went!”

Daine’s golden eyes locked on the man’s for a moment before he loosened his grip on Ariana, leaving her to run into the tailor’s arms. He pointed his gun at the man’s chest.

“Please, that’s all I know,” said the tailor. “Now get the hell out of my shop, and you ain’t gonna tell nobody I told you, all right? I don’t need those damn Scarlet Soldiers turning up at my damn doorstep.”

At the mention of the gang, a soft snarl escaped from Daine’s lips.

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that, mister,” said Ariana, her voice as sultry as if she hadn’t just been held at gunpoint.

“Why’s that?” The man turned to face her and was met with the tiny pistol she’d pulled out of her dress. The bang shook the room as the man dropped to the floor.

Daine sheathed his own gun as Ariana hissed out a frustrated breath.

“Dammit! I thought we were closer on his trail than that.” She kneeled and began to rummage through the dead man’s pockets. “Left town a week ago? He could be halfway to hell by now!”

Daine rolled his eyes and pulled the map out of his coat, though he’d nearly memorized it by now. There were two towns a day’s ride from this one; it was possible that Ydris was currently at one of them. But which one?

“How the _hell_ ”—Ariana swiped a stack of half-finished coats off a table and strode into the shop section of the building, kicking over mannequins as she went—“did he get so far ahead of us? He’s just got a goddamned wagon and that draft mare!”

Daine ignored her, turning possibilities over in his head. If what he’d heard was any indication, the town further north was slightly bigger and boasted more of a sleazy reputation. Just the sort of place Ydris might find prosperous, in his line of work.

“Damn that bastard.” Ariana slammed the cash drawer shut with a metallic clang, stomping over to Daine and stuffing bills into his coat pockets. She looked up into his face with a fierce expression. “I’m gettin’ my money and you’re gettin’ your—what was it?”

“Mother’s necklace,” Daine said gruffly.

“Right, that.” She stuffed the rest of the bills into her cleavage and turned away in a swish of skirts. She crossed to the door, knocking over a few chairs as she did.

“Make it look like a robbery.” She grinned at him over her shoulder as she opened the shop door. “Course, you’d know about that.”

He didn’t respond, not speaking again until they’d crossed the town to where they’d left the horses tethered to an oak tree, their dark coats blending into the night. Cloud nickered quietly in greeting, and Daine rubbed a hand down his nose. Ariana gave Lion a gentle tug on the ear before pulling her jeans, shirt, and coat out of the bags on his back. Without any preamble, she stripped out of her dress; Daine quickly turned his back and busied himself untying Cloud’s reins.

The stallion turned his head, eyeing his rider curiously. Daine couldn’t help himself; he gave a small shake of his head. _No luck_.

Only after Ariana had finally gotten her clothes on and they’d taken off out of town, after they’d ridden for at least an hour under the rising moon, and after they’d settled for the night under an overhang in a cliff and Daine found himself staring into a smoldering fire, a cigarette in his fingers, and listening to Ariana’s occasional snores…only then did he let himself think beyond the practical.

An image of two different-colored eyes swam into the forefront of his mind. That always came first. He could almost feel nimble fingers trailing across his chest, almost hear his voice. And even through the scent of sage and horse and leather, he could almost smell that exotic scent.

Daine took a drag of his cigarette and tilted his head back on his shoulders, letting strands of his long dark hair fall across his face. He exhaled deeply and watched the smoke curl and vanish into the darkness of the sky.

Ariana snored again, bringing him back down to earth. Shaking the wistful thoughts from his mind, Daine focused. Tomorrow they’d ride the rest of the way to the next town, and they’d take it from there.

He stubbed out his cigarette and settled down to rest his head on his saddle, pushing the thoughts of Ydris from his mind. The only scents he could detect now were the smoke and the sagebrush. And when all he could hear was the snoring of a whore, it was hard to imagine that silky voice.


End file.
